Last Modified: Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 11:23 p.m.

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Jana Vallejo says her educational journey from high school dropout to college instructor has been an “adventure.”

An adjunct psychology instructor at Gadsden State since 2006, the native of Odenville recently became a full-time instructor at the school. Her journey to this point was not easy, however. In fact, it began when she was a sophomore in high school and decided to drop out.

Vallejo’s decision to leave high school at 16 was not easy, either. It was induced by issues within her broken home and her battle with low self-esteem.

“I was overweight and we were so poor,” she recalled. “I thought I really couldn’t learn that much in high school. I just kind of fell through the cracks. I wasn’t happy anywhere, and I just wanted to find happiness, so I quit school.”

Leaving high school, Vallejo turned to the workforce and, at 18, married her husband, Emmanuel.

Eventually, she began a family and any idea of returning to school was overshadowed by the desire to be a great wife and mother.

“I always knew I had more potential than I demonstrated,” she said. “But my children and husband needed me.”

When her children were in kindergarten, Vallejo began thinking about her educational opportunities. She credits her children with being the push she needed.

“I wasn’t really serious about going to school until I realized my children were going to emulate me,” she said. “They were asking me so many questions and I didn’t have answers for them.”

Vallejo obtained a GED certificate and at age 29, she enrolled in Gadsden State.

“Although nobody in my family had ever gone to college, and I hadn’t even graduated high school, I decided to just register for one class,” she said.

A few days before she began that class, sociology, she saw a sign that validated everything she was thinking, “The sign had Gadsden State’s slogan and it said, ‘Yes You Can,’” she recalled.

That one class, in the spring of 1994, launched a 10-year educational journey that she refers to as an “adventure.” She knew she was headed in the right direction, and over the next few years earned an associate degree from Gadsden State and both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Jacksonville State University.

Vallejo remembered that being in school for the second time was rewarding because her mindset had changed.

“When I went back, I had a new perspective,” she said. “I had a goal that I was going to learn to help my children, and I was going to learn to prove my self-worth.”

A decade later, Vallejo has a newfound confidence that is unmistakable. From teaching her students the facts about the sleep cycle to recounting her inspiring story, she uses every opportunity to remind others that anything is possible.

As a teenager, she felt she had no support system, and her hope is that she can be that support system for her students.

“I can see that I could have tried to make it different if I would have had the right perspective, but I had no one to tell me that,” she said. “So, I’m here to tell them that. You can be anything you want to be. You don’t have to do it immediately, today or tomorrow, but you can go one step at a time.”

Vallejo’s story is inspiring, but she hasn’t shared it often. Until recently, her children were not aware that she had dropped out of high school in the 10th grade. “I was kind of hiding it because I don’t want people to see me as that person, who I was, but as who I am today,” she said.

Vallejo no longer views herself as “oppressed,” the way she once did. Instead, she said, “I’m confident, I’m more of the person I’ve always wanted to be now.”

She said the journey has taken her “full circle” and sees this as her dream job. She credits much of her success to Gadsden State and often encourages people to attend, including her children who both attended the school.

“Gadsden State has changed my life and it has made me happier,” she said. “I feel like anybody could find their way and find their happy journey here, because Gadsden State will work with everyone.”

Vallejo plans to head back to the classroom this summer to begin taking classes in philosophy and has begun writing a book.

She and her husband have been married for 29 years and have two children, Emmanuel (Brooke) and Christina Vallejo. They also have one grandson, Parker.

<p>Many would say everyone has a destiny or purpose; one thing he or she is born to do. It would seem that becoming an instructor at <a href="http://www.gadsdentimes.com/section/TOPIC0201/"><b>Gadsden State</b></a> Community College was Jana Vallejo's destiny. </p><p>An adjunct psychology instructor at Gadsden State since 2006, the native of Odenville recently became a full-time instructor at the school. Her journey to this point was not easy, however. In fact, it began when she was a sophomore in high school and decided to drop out.</p><p>Vallejo's decision to leave high school at 16 was not easy, either. It was induced by issues within her broken home and her battle with low self-esteem. </p><p>“I was overweight and we were so poor,” she recalled. “I thought I really couldn't learn that much in high school. I just kind of fell through the cracks. I wasn't happy anywhere, and I just wanted to find happiness, so I quit school.”</p><p>Leaving high school, Vallejo turned to the workforce and, at 18, married her husband, Emmanuel.</p><p>Eventually, she began a family and any idea of returning to school was overshadowed by the desire to be a great wife and mother. </p><p>“I always knew I had more potential than I demonstrated,” she said. “But my children and husband needed me.”</p><p>When her children were in kindergarten, Vallejo began thinking about her educational opportunities. She credits her children with being the push she needed. </p><p>“I wasn't really serious about going to school until I realized my children were going to emulate me,” she said. “They were asking me so many questions and I didn't have answers for them.” </p><p>Vallejo obtained a GED certificate and at age 29, she enrolled in Gadsden State. </p><p>“Although nobody in my family had ever gone to college, and I hadn't even graduated high school, I decided to just register for one class,” she said.</p><p>A few days before she began that class, sociology, she saw a sign that validated everything she was thinking, “The sign had Gadsden State's slogan and it said, 'Yes You Can,'” she recalled.</p><p>That one class, in the spring of 1994, launched a 10-year educational journey that she refers to as an “adventure.” She knew she was headed in the right direction, and over the next few years earned an associate degree from Gadsden State and both bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology from Jacksonville State University.</p><p>Vallejo remembered that being in school for the second time was rewarding because her mindset had changed.</p><p>“When I went back, I had a new perspective,” she said. “I had a goal that I was going to learn to help my children, and I was going to learn to prove my self-worth.”</p><p>A decade later, Vallejo has a newfound confidence that is unmistakable. From teaching her students the facts about the sleep cycle to recounting her inspiring story, she uses every opportunity to remind others that anything is possible.</p><p>As a teenager, she felt she had no support system, and her hope is that she can be that support system for her students. </p><p>“I can see that I could have tried to make it different if I would have had the right perspective, but I had no one to tell me that,” she said. “So, I'm here to tell them that. You can be anything you want to be. You don't have to do it immediately, today or tomorrow, but you can go one step at a time.”</p><p>Vallejo's story is inspiring, but she hasn't shared it often. Until recently, her children were not aware that she had dropped out of high school in the 10th grade. “I was kind of hiding it because I don't want people to see me as that person, who I was, but as who I am today,” she said.</p><p>Vallejo no longer views herself as “oppressed,” the way she once did. Instead, she said, “I'm confident, I'm more of the person I've always wanted to be now.”</p><p>She said the journey has taken her “full circle” and sees this as her dream job. She credits much of her success to Gadsden State and often encourages people to attend, including her children who both attended the school.</p><p>“Gadsden State has changed my life and it has made me happier,” she said. “I feel like anybody could find their way and find their happy journey here, because Gadsden State will work with everyone.”</p><p>Vallejo plans to head back to the classroom this summer to begin taking classes in philosophy and has begun writing a book.</p><p>She and her husband have been married for 29 years and have two children, Emmanuel (Brooke) and Christina Vallejo. They also have one grandson, Parker.</p>